Black clergy unite to publicly support gay rights

[truthpusher]

http://www.sovo.com/2005/2-4/news/localnews/clergy.cfm

Black clergy unite to publicly support gay rights
Pastors offer ‘a more hope-filled perspective’

By RYAN LEE
Friday, February 04, 2005

More than 50 black clergy and theologians from metro Atlanta published a letter recently in the Atlanta Daily World calling on African-American churches to be more sympathetic to the political and spiritual struggles faced by gay men and lesbians.

<snip>

“The dominant views on sex, sexuality and gender in the black church are undermining community, diminishing the faith and leading many to abandon churches out of sheer moral frustration and exhaustion,” read the letter.

“Some black churches have concluded it is in their best institutional interest to participate in ‘special rights’ polemics against this so-called ‘immoral humanity,” the letter continued. “As black clergy we offer here a more hope-filled perspective.”

complete story>>>>>
http://www.sovo.com/2005/2-4/news/localnews/clergy.cfm

[WindRavenX]

1. awesome!

This needs to be heard lOUD and CLEAR!

[last1standing]

2. When minorities supports minorities eventually you get a majority.

This is great news. It proves that for some Brotherhood is not just a word but a message of hope.

[arcane1]

6. EXACTLY!

:bounce:

[mom cat]

23. I like the way you add things up! Bravo!

[skypilot]

3. This is so good to hear.

That other faction of the black clergy that is licking Bush's boots needs to be countered. I'd love to see more of this.

[Stop_the_War]

4. AWESOME!!!!

[Ian David]

7. See also: The Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry

http://www.rcfm.org/

Who We Are

The Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry supports civil marriage rights for same gender couples and seeks to promote dialogue within faith communities about religious marriage for gay and lesbian couples.

How You Can Help!

We seek your support for our efforts by urging your clergy leader and/or congregation to sign the "Massachusetts Declaration of Religious Support for the Freedom of Same Gender Couples to Marry." We hope to gather many hundreds of signatures from religious leaders who are willing to speak out for justice and freedom, so that the voice of the progressive religious community of Massachusetts will be heard on this issue. Already over 400 religious leaders have signed the petition.

We also invite you to join us as a member or contributor of RCFM. Our plans to develop lobbying efforts, educational resources, and a coordinated interfaith outreach to the media, all require the support and participation of as many of us as possible. Please contact us to discuss ways in which you can become involved in our efforts!

Why We Are Doing This

The inability of same-gender couples to legally affirm their commitment to each other in marriage, is one of the most pressing civil rights issues in America today. Beyond the societal recognition and support being denied to thousands of stable, loving relationships, responsible couples who are sharing their lives together have no access to the legal protections and benefits extended to other married citizens.

The overwhelming source of opposition to these basic civil liberties is the powerful voice of the Religious Right. In response, we are a group of clergy and lay leaders representing a broad spectrum of denominations and faith traditions, who believe that we have a sacred mandate to struggle for the freedom to marry for all Americans. We believe that the religious voice advocating this fundamental civil right must be heard in the face of the often virulent bigotry espoused in the name of faith.

[wicket]

5. great news!

:kick:

[msmcghee]

8. This made my day! n/t

[PROGRESSIVE1]

9. We need to pull together the liberal/reform religous community...

counter the hard right wing bigots who have hijacked our country!

[gratuitous]

10. Excellent!

And I like their mention of the "no special rights" crowd, because as we've seen, "no special rights" should be amended to be "and no equal rights either" with all the "outlawing" of gay marriage and hubbub over anti-discrimination laws in employment, housing and other public accommodations.

[BR_Parkway]

11. I'm glad they did, but what about that big march that was sponsored

in Atlanta just before the election - how we queers were detroying the family and the whole line of RW bullshit. Enough ranting, I'm glad they're on board.

[blm]

12. Good. They need to counter those black ministers RevMoon paid off

and Bush is right behind him.

The GOP will make any black minister a rich man....all he has to do is sell his soul and sellout his people.

[Nothing Without Hope]

13. This is just excellent! Black churches have been in the news a lot

lately. I think there are signs, of which this article is one, that there is a movement among them to be more outspoken and active in supporting progressive causes. At the same time, the corporate media seems to have been trying to portray the opposite trend. Compare the reports linked to in these two DU threads, for example::

"Black Baptists for 1st time in History Unite & Oppose Smirk Policies"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=3028916

"Black Churches in LA meet today/move toward GOP"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=1555313

One story matches the spirit of the article in this thread, the other doesn't seem to fit. Interesting trends - I'm wondering if there's a deliberate GOP propaganda effort afoot here. It would obviously be useful to convince more people that minorities are waking up to the glories of the blivet**.

[merh]

15. Well Hope, you bet me to it!

Glad you posted these links! It is obvious that the GOP is freakin' and trying to counter the news that Black Religious leaders do not like the agenda of the weed!

[Nothing Without Hope]

17. Hello merh! You'll laugh - I just PM'd you about this thread

I thought you might want to add it to your growing collection. When I checked my posts, there was your reply, already there!

The plot is definitely thickening -- and sickening? -- with this business of manipulating opinion about black church views. It's really looking suspicious to me. If you read the thread on the LA churches supposedly leaning to the GOP, you saw how discouraged and upset people were about it. Maybe that was the goal?

I'm glad Truthpusher found this article and posted it for us. It's another piece to the puzzle and very important and encouraging in its own right.

[merh]

18. Get this, there are those in the black community that believe this

is an attempt to divide them again! They just united to oppose the agenda of the weed and now some of the leaders come out with this position, it may splinter them again! :shrug:

[Nothing Without Hope]

19. Ah, that's sad. Well, progressivism needs to be an open-sided tent

Excluding people on the basis of their skin color, spiritual beliefs or lack of them, gender, ethnic heritage, age, ability to walk easily, or sexual orientation (more could be added to this list) is against the fundamental spirit of progressivism. Either you look forward and outward and inward to our common humanity or you look back and down. It's sort of a gestalt sort of thing.

Here I am, preaching to the choir. I do hope they resolve this conflict. It's still cooking with the Episcopalians, as far as I know. Better to get it out in the open than let it fester and try to suppress the emotions and conflicts that result.

[ernstbass]

14. Now that's some good news!

[hangtotheLEFT]

16. Well, finally some unity!

You would think that ALL african-americans would stand by & with ANY group that is treated as second class citizens.

At least this group is finally coming to their senses & realizing...WE ARE ALL IN THIS SHITTY BOAT TOGETHER!





"This is the church...this is the steeple.
Open the doors...AND SEE ALL THE SHEEPLE!"

[GOPBasher]

20. This is awesome!! nt

[bliss_eternal]

21. Thank Goodness! This is fantastic news!

Yayness!
:)

[mutus_frutex]

22. I'm always the first to call them hypocrites, so

this time time I think it is fair to give them my kudos..

Apparently the came to their senses and realized that the plight of gays and lesbians today is quite similar to the plight of blacks during most of the last century..

[Lizzie Borden]

24. kick!

}( :kick: }(

[neuvocat]

25. There goes that future in black churches.

[donheld]

26. I'm grateful